Would-be Conservative MP for Bath Ben Howlett is facing pressure to stand down after it emerged that one of his admired politicians Gerry Adams was taken into questioning over murder.

At a private meeting in 2010 Mr Howlett was asked which Northern Irish politician he most admired, confirming it was Mr Adams, who leads the political arm of the terrorist Irish Republican Army: Sinn Fein.

Despite regular requests to take back the comments, Mr Howlett has always stood by them. He was recently selected to fight the marginal seat of Bath in the 2015 UK general election, which he may have won due to the collapse in the Liberal Democrat vote amongst students. His chances are now likely to have been significantly damaged.

Senior Conservatives have tonight told Breitbart London of their unease at having a candidate who is supportive of such a divisive figure. The questioning of Adams is likely to put further pressure on Howlett, who had already incurred the wrath of the close political supporter of Margaret Thatcher, Lord Tebbit.

Norman Tebbit “shook his head in disgust” when he heard of Howlett’s comments. The former cabinet minister has always been a firm opponent of the Irish Republican movement, not least because his wife was left heavily disabled by the 1984 IRA Brighton Bomb attack.

Whilst Mr Adams has not yet been charged with any crime, he has been a leading light in the Irish Republican movement for many years. He is currently the President of Sinn Fein and a member of the Irish Parliament.

Howlett was formerly the head of the Conservative Future group for young conservative activists. His successor Oliver Cooper tweeted tonight: “Gerry Adams caused considerable suffering during the Troubles. I’m relieved to see the pursuit of justice for victims’ families continues.”